Football: Real Madrid fall to Celta Vigo in Cup quarter-finals

A fine free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't prevent Real
Madrid from being dumped out of the Copa del Rey as a 2-2 draw at Celta
Vigo on Wednesday allowed the hosts to progress to the semi-finals 4-3
on aggregate.

MADRID: A fine free-kick from Cristiano
Ronaldo couldn't prevent Real Madrid from being dumped out of the Copa
del Rey as a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday (Jan 25) allowed the
hosts to progress to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.

Hampered by a series of injuries, Real's hopes
of turning the tie around were dealt a huge blow when Danilo's own goal
handed Celta to lead on the night just before half-time.

Ronaldo gave Madrid hope with his first goal in the Copa del Rey for two years.

However, Daniel Wass restored Celta's lead
five minutes from time before Lucas Vazquez's stoppage time header at
least prevented Madrid from suffering a third defeat in four games.

Celta join Alaves and Atletico Madrid in Friday's semi-final draw.

Barcelona take a 1-0 lead over Real Sociedad into the final quarter-final, second leg on Thursday.

Madrid faced a huge challenge to turn the tie
around with Zinedine Zidane's men missing seven first-team regulars
through injury.

However, it was the visitors who enjoyed the better chances early on.

Celta 'keeper Sergio Alvarez made a stunning
save to turn Ronaldo's header onto the bar before the World Player of
the Year hit the post with the goal gaping on the rebound.

Injuries had also forced Zidane to change to a
3-5-2 formation and as Real pushed forward, Celta began to find space
on the counter-attack towards the end of the opening half.

Iago Aspas wasted a huge chance when he tried to square to John Guidetti with just Kiko Casilla to beat.

Guidetti then forced Casilla into a fine save at this near post with a fiercely hit volley.

However, Celta did make the breakthrough just a
minute before half-time as, despite Casilla's best efforts to again
deny Guidetti, the loose ball cannoned off the helpless Danilo and into
his own net.

It was the second consecutive Cup game away
from home that the much-criticised Brazilian had opened the scoring with
an own goal.

Yet, just when the tie was beginning to look
beyond the European champions, Ronaldo brought the game back to life
with a stunning free-kick that flew into the far corner from 25 yards
just after the hour mark.

Madrid came within inches of levelling on
aggregate moments later when the normally deadly Sergio Ramos headed
wide from point-blank range.

Karim Benzema and another Ronaldo free-kick also flew just wide as Real hunted a second away goal.

However, they were caught out at the back when Jozabed teed up Wass to slot into the far corner.

Once again Real responded as substitute Vazquez turned a flick-on past Alvarez as the game entered stoppage time.

But it was too little, too late as Real's hopes of a first ever treble were extinguished.